McPHERSON - Owners of Patriot Pawn and Firearms Co. LLC operate a retail storefront on Newton's Main Street and want to open a second store next year on Main Street in McPherson.

Tuesday

Nov 3, 2009 at 12:01 AMNov 3, 2009 at 5:00 PM

Mary Clarkin - The Hutchinson News - mclarkin@hutchnews.com

"We're all for them," said David Schinkus, manager of Burgett's Furniture, a potential next-door neighbor to a Patriot Pawn and Firearms that would be located at 116 N. Main St.

"I just think we could do better," said Virginia Kaufman, owner-manager of Rural Rooster, which sells collectibles, of the possibility of a pawn shop catty-corner to her store. "This is the heart of our town."

The McPherson Planning Commission was scheduled to conduct a public hearing Tuesday night on a request for a special-use permit to allow the business in the B-3 Central Business zone. That advisory board's recommended action could come before the McPherson City Commission for final action on Nov. 23, according to city zoning administrator Thomas Stinemetze.

"We realize that it's an uphill battle to change people's perceptions of the industry," said co-owner Stephen Owens on Tuesday, prior to the Planning Commission meeting. But the pawn business dates back to the 1600s, Owens said, and accessibility to small loans is vital in a community.

Owens said Newton didn't require a special-use permit, but he knew some people were concerned when that location opened.

"A lot have become great customers," Owens added.

Stinemetze said McPherson has another pawn store, and the reason this prospect has stirred debate is because of the Main Street site.

Owens and Patriot Pawn co-owner Bart Kellum introduced themselves a couple of weeks ago to some McPherson business owners, describing their plans.

Susan Hawley, a partner and one of the owners of Nooks & Crannies Gifts & Floral, 113 N. Main St., found both "very nice young men," but she didn't think a pawn and gun store would be a good fit for Main Street.

"I don't have any objection to them coming to McPherson," Hawley said, but McPherson has invested in creating an attractive Main Street, she noted.

The Main Street storefront currently is unoccupied, but Westar Inc. was its most recent tenant, according to Schinkus, and its utility trucks took some prime parking spots on the street, he said. The fašade is painted yellow and purple, and Owens said it will be repainted in a "neutral" color.

In Stinemetz's prelimary report to the Planning Commission, he wrote: "Both the Pawn Shop and Firearms Sales uses, when run improperly, can be less than desirable neighbors causing harm to the retail environment of their surroundings."

However, Stinemetze also wrote, such a business, when properly run, is "not more disruptive to the neighborhood than any other retail use."

Zoning regulations in McPherson list pawn shops as a permitted use in a B-3 Central Business zoning district but requiring a special-use permit be obtained. Retail firearms sales is not listed in any category; however, a city report noted, "the final special use item allows for the inclusion of other uses if they are deemed 'in keeping with the intent of' the section."

If the special-use permit is granted, Owens hopes the store will open in January. Employment should grow within a year to two full-time and up to four part-time employees, he said.

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